IndexedDB 2.0

The IndexedDB 2.0 standard is now fully supported in Chrome, making it simpler to work with large data sets in the browser. IDB 2.0 features new schema management, bulk action methods, and more standardized handling of failures.

The structure of a site’s database has large performance impacts and can be difficult to change. To simplify updates, object stores and indexes can now be renamed in-place after a refactoring. Sites can also use more natural keys without worrying about a performance penalty thanks to binary keys, which allow compact representations for custom keys.

Data retrieval is easier with the getKey() and openKeyCursor() methods, which also provide better performance when only a database key is needed. The new continuePrimaryKey() cursor method makes it easier to divide large data access across transactions and page loads without worrying about duplicate primary keys. The getAll() and getAllKeys() methods allow bulk recovery of entire datasets without the need for a cursor.

An improvement to iframe navigation

Third-party content, such as advertising, that automatically redirects the page can annoy users and create security issues. Because of this, developers are able to put third-party content inside sandboxed iframes to prevent this behavior. However, in some cases this type of content needs to navigate the top-level page when clicked, like a standard advertisement.

To address this, Chrome 58 now supports the new iframe sandbox keyword allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation. This keyword gives sandboxed iframes the ability to navigate the top-level page when triggered by user interaction, while still blocking auto-redirects.

Immersive full screen for PWAs

When Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are launched from the Android Home screen, they launch in a standalone app-like mode that hides the omnibox. This helps create an engaging user experience, and frees up screen space for content. However, for even more immersive experiences like games, video players, or other rich content, other mobile UI elements such as the system bars can still be a distraction.

Now PWAs can provide a fully immersive experience by setting display: fullscreen in their web app manifest, which hides non-app UI when the site is launched from the home screen.

A PWA launched from the home screen (left), launched from the home screen in standalone mode (middle), and launched from the home screen in fullscreen mode (right).

Other features in this release

PointerEvents.getCoalescedEvents() allows developers to access all input events since the last time a PointerEvent was delivered, making it easier for drawing apps to create smoother curves using a precise history of points.

Developers can now customize Chrome’s native media controls such as the download, fullscreen and remoteplayback buttons using the new ControlsList API.

On Chrome for Android, sites installed using the improved Add to Homescreen flow will be allowed to autoplay audio and video served from origins included in the manifest’s scope without restrictions.

On Chrome for Android, videos using the autoplay attribute will be paused when offscreen and resumed when back in view to preserve consistency across browsers.

Sites can now access the approximate range of colors supported by Chrome and output devices using the color-gamut Media Query.

Instead of manually resetting multiple layout properties like float and clear, sites can now add a new block-formatting context using display: flow-root.

To improve JavaScript parsing time, SVGPoint, SVGRect, and SVGMatrix have been transferred to new interfaces outside of Geometry.

Sites must now use HTTPS when requesting notification permissions or creating non-persistent local notifications with the Notifications API, in accordance with Chrome's policy around powerful features.

To better align with spec, cancelBubble is now considered an alias to stopPropagation() when set to true, and does not do anything when set to false.

The VTTRegion interface functions, addRegion() and removeRegion(), have been removed from the WebVTT spec and are therefore being removed from Chrome.

Top-level navigations to data: URLs have been deprecated to further protect users from spoofing and phishing attempts.

An instance of HTMLEmbedElement or HTMLObjectElement can no longer be called as a function, since the legacy caller has been removed.

Pre-standard ChaCha20-Poly1305 ciphers have been removed following the standardization of these algorithms at the IETF as RFC 7539 and RFC 7905, and the subsequent shipping of the standard versions in Chrome 41.

To improve interoperability, Selection.addRange() now ignores an additional range if it overlaps with an existing range, rather than merging the two ranges.

Encrypted Media Extensions transmitted over non-secure origins has been deprecated per Chrome's policy around powerful features and in compliance with the spec.